Fourth Reich Rising: Iron Sky and the Nazi UFO Mythos

Many have speculated in the decades following the end of the Second World War that the Axis Powers–namely Nazi Germany–had been involved in the secret production of highly advanced technology and exotic aircraft. According to various sources of rumor and speculation, some of these advanced aircraft, variously believed to have been jet-propelled saucers and possibly even “alienesque” field propulsion discs, were given names such as the “Hannebu” and “Vril,” the latter of these drawing from the ancient traditions of esoterica that many among Hitler’s ranks drew heavily from, both in terms of inspiration, as well as mystical and technological knowledge.

The idea that the Nazis may have been utilizing advanced technologies toward the end of the war is an intriguing prospect indeed. After all, the Ally’s most advanced aircraft had still yet to employ the the use of swept-wing designs and other more efficient construction that the Nazis were indeed exploring already. However, those inclined toward paranoia might wonder if there were other things Hitler’s scientists and aeronautics engineers might have been developing… and perhaps even strangest of all, if there is any existing potential that any such craft or other technologies might have somehow continued on, carefully (and conveniently) behinds the scenes of mainstream science.

This idea, however strange it seems, has obviously remained popular enough, at least, to have garnered Hollywood’s attention; hence the upcoming release of the farcical new alternative history/Scifi yarn Iron Sky features the concept heavily, drawing from the idea of Nazis who had gone into hiding on the dark side of Earth’s moon, in order to regroup and institute an elaborate and several-decades-long plan for revenge against the Earth that scorned them during the 1940s.

This, of course, is wholly fictional; and yet, the notion that Nazi technology and advanced physics they may have been investigating toward the end of the war has nonetheless served well as an alternative, in the minds of some, with regard to the origins of UFO craft witnessed since the late 1940s. For many, this notion seems more plausible than the idea that exotic lifeforms might be the forces behind what may, in fact, only appear to be highly-exotic aircraft seen above Earth at various times. This is likely because the idea of alien visitors, while intriguing, remains an area that is largely unquantifiable in terms of there being any scientific proof to back such claims. On the other hand, while we may never know to what real extent Nazi scientists may have been involved in projects that dealt with such things as anti-gravity, field propulsion systems, and other highly advanced technology, there is little question as to whether they would have shown interest in such things. Again, the question regarding the entire Nazi UFO question is this: how plausible is it that technologies as advanced as what do seem to be described in modern UFO reports could not only have been developed here on Earth, but were already in existence by the end of the 1950s?

During a recent edition of The Gralien Report Podcast, I discussed the various curious potentials associated with the Nazi UFO mythos during an interview with author Joseph P. Farrell, who put things in no uncertain terms: while there is evidence that certain files and documents released over the years may have some relation to alleged “Nazi sciences” of yesteryear, there is very little evidence that anything akin to what we see in films like Iron Sky will have any direct relevance to the reality of the situation. In other words, to suppose that UFOs might emanate from decades-old Nazi science is probably even less likely than to suppose that there may be an extraterrestrial link to the UFO equation.

Of course, when we take into consideration all the potential ties to underground Antarctic bases, strange experiments taking place during the Third Reich, and high-strangeness claims that involve the ongoing and multi-faceted UFO mythos, there will always be proponents of there being some esoteric Nazi connection to the greater UFO mystery… however unlikely the evidence for this may be in reality.

Micah Hanks is a writer, podcaster, and researcher whose interests cover a variety of subjects. His areas of focus include history, science, philosophy, current events, cultural studies, technology, unexplained phenomena, and ways the future of humankind may be influenced by science and innovation in the coming decades. In addition to writing, Micah hosts the Middle Theory and Gralien Report podcasts.